American Pharmacists Association presents award at national meeting in New Orleans
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Pharmacy has been recognized as one of the national winners of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Immunization Champion Awards. The awards, which recognize the value and extraordinary contributions pharmacists provide to improving the vaccination rates of their communities, were presented during the APhA Annual Meeting and Exposition in New Orleans, March 9-12.
The UMKC School of Pharmacy was recognized for its collaborations with diverse local partners to improve immunization rates in Missouri, expand opportunities for students to participate in the immunization process and advance the profession. Through multi-faceted education and outreach efforts, UMKC collaborated with agencies and providers across the state, resulting in countless patients being impacted. Following are a few of the initiatives and partnerships cited by APhAa in UMKC’s Award recognition:
- The school’s faculty and students played a significant immunization role in the aftermath of the Joplin tornado, supporting emergency response efforts in providing tetanus vaccinations to hundreds of Joplin citizens and volunteers.
- The school’s partnership with the Kansas City Health Department resulted in the annual UMKC Health Sciences Wellness Fair, which involves student volunteers from UMKC’s four health science disciplines and 12 area agencies.
- The school partnered with the UMKC and MU Schools of Nursing, to administer 753 influenza vaccinations at 13 events, including student and staff health fairs on the Kansas City and Columbia campuses.
“This award has not only brought significant recognition and prestige to the UMKC School of Pharmacy, but more importantly, the activities that produced the award have made a significant impact on the health and well being of our communities and prepared our students for the future of health care and the profession of pharmacy,” said Russell Melchert, Ph.D., dean of the School of Pharmacy.
About the UMKC School of Pharmacy
Founded in 1885, the UMKC School of Pharmacy is the only public school of pharmacy in the state of Missouri. The School offers professional practice (doctor of pharmacy-Pharm.D.), non-practice bachelors (B.S.) and graduate (M.S. and Ph.D.) degrees. The School of Pharmacy is committed to providing an atmosphere that promotes life-long learning by helping students develop both the knowledge and skills needed to be a pharmacy professional in an ever-changing health-care environment. For more information about the UMKC School of Pharmacy, visit pharmacy.umkc.edu. You can also find the School of Pharmacy on Facebook and follow the School on Twitter.
About the University of Missouri-Kansas City
The University of Missouri-Kansas City, one of four University of Missouri campuses, is a public university serving more than 15,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UMKC engages with the community and economy based on a four-part mission: life and health sciences; visual and performing arts; urban issues and education; and a vibrant learning and campus life experience. For more information about UMKC, visit www.umkc.edu. You can also find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch us on YouTube.